Dodgers spring training 2013: Dee Gordon is just playing his game

Don Mattingly was asked about what he saw in term's Dee Gordon's work this spring and what the Dodgers want Gordon to work on.

"I think Gordon looks good, I know he had a good yesterday. I think his BP has been better. I think he has been, to me, more relaxed, more himself. The thing we asking from Gordon this year is we want to see a baseball player," Mattingly said. "The thing I told [Gordon] is that when they quit talking about how fast you are and say this kid is a baseball player, we will be in great shape. It is about getting back to when you take pitches and understanding what the pitcher trying to do."

Separately, Gordon spoke about his spring thus far. Gordon spoke on how he works on both the mental and physical sides of the game, "going out and playing but as you know getting more mature from last year, just kind of knowing what's going on, being aware of the situation, things like that, as a hitter it is being able hit what the pitcher gives me than getting myself out. I've gotten myself a few times this spring early on. I'm not letting the game to me just playing my game within the game."

Gordon said he has continued to work with Maury Wills this spring and how yesterday's bunt was so important in his development, "the bunt I got yesterday is one of the hardest ones for me to do, it was good for my confidence to be able to do that." And how he will work the bunt game in his game: "I would love to bunt once or twice a game but you got to play the game within the game, if the time presents itself, then you do what you can do to get on base."

Gordon says he works everything extra (bunting, fielding running) because I am only 24 years old, I'm definitely not there, I am trying to improve my game so I can help the team any way I can. And Gordon's thoughts about his off-season: Winter ball was great for me because I got back to playing baseball, I was there by myself, no coaches or anyone, so I had to figure me out by myself and that was awesome and I learned from that experience. I was glad the Dodgers send me down there.

Notes

• Zack Greinke will throw a pen tomorrow and be back on his regular turn [probably Monday], he still is a little under the weather but he was in camp today. He's right back in his spot behind Kershaw.
• Mattingly on Ryu: Felt like he got better as the game went on, so that was more from what we had seen on tape and what we had heard about, so I felt better about it. But again it is still his third start in spring training, we got continue to move forward and continue to improve.
• Mattingly talked about Zach Lee - You see him, you see his body maturing, you are beginning to see that LSU quarterback frame, he's a big boy. You see him put weight on and frame expanding, he is going to continue to get better.
• TBS will be showing the Dodgers on their Sunday broadcasts on April 21st at Baltimore and on May 19th at Atlanta.
  
• Dodger legends Ron Cey and Tommy Davis will arrive on Friday March 8th and spend a few days in camp working with the squad.
• All five Dodgers participating in this year's World Baseball Classic will see action today as Italy (Nick Punto) takes on Mexico (Luis Cruz, Adrian Gonzalez) at 1:00 p.m. at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale and Venezuela (Ronald Belisario) faces off against the Dominican Republic (Hanley Ramirez) at 4:30 pm in San Juan, Puerto Rico. All games of this year's WBC can be viewed on MLB Network
• Chad Billingsley will be followed by Mark Lowe, Josh Wall, and Peter Moylan
  
• Also suited up from the minor league side for the Dodgers are pitchers Blake Johnson (No. 89), Ross Stripling (90), Eric Eadington (91), Red Patterson (92) and Sean White (93); infielders Rafael Ynoa (82), Rusty Ryal (83) and outfielders Matt Angle (82), Jeremy Rathjen (87) and Joc Pederson (88).
• Randy Wells starts for the Rangers, and is expected to be followed on the mound by Joe Nathan, Joe Ortiz, Evan Meek, Nate Robertson and old friend Josh Lindblom. Minor leaguers that also traveled to Glendale for the Rangers are pitchers Chad Bell, Ross Wolf, catchers Vincent DiFazio, Brett Nicholas, infielders Luis Sardinas, Guider Rodriguez, and outfielder Ryan Strausborger

Game info

Time: 12:05 p.m. PT

TV: Prime Ticket

Radio: 570 KLAC AM

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